Why it makes no sense for the LA Chargers to not use cap space

3. The 2022 free agents are not that great

There are some big names in the 2022 free-agent class and there will naturally be players who play really well in a contract year in 2021 and raise their stock. Overall, this is a class that we probably don’t want the Chargers spending $50 million in as that would mean that they are overspending on mediocre guys.

Von Miller is the biggest name on the market but who knows where he is going to stand career-wise by the time the 2021 season comes to an end. He is already regressing and injuries have stacked up. He very well could be a completely different player in a year’s time.

There are some okay receiving options but the Chargers would be foolish to spend an arm and a leg for Allen Robinson when they could just get Julio Jones this year. The team does not need to sign a running back, none of the offensive line options are particularly exciting and defensively, there isn’t anyone worth a big contract.

The Chargers can easily still sign a handful of players to smaller deals and that is how they should operate in the 2022 free-agent class. The team would just be saving the money for mediocre top-tier options next year that are worse than simply adding Jones now.

And sure, you could make the case that they are trying to keep rolling it over to be able to pay Derwin James and Justin Herbert but that would be such a mistake. They will have the money for those guys and have to strike while the iron is hot with Herbert’s rookie deal.